Today the boys’ J.V. hockey team travelled up the hill to take on a younger and skilled Eagle Brook varsity hockey team. This contest is always a close one and this game would prove to be like most of the others. The two teams began the game creating good offensive chances but neither found the back of the net through the first stanza. Drake Esquer was in net for the visiting Deerfield team and he played very well throughout the contest eventually earning a 2-0 shutout win.
The second period saw Deerfield commit too many penalties and we spent the majority of the middle period shorthanded. In fact, there was a stretch of around six minutes when we were playing at a 5-on-3 deficit. Credit goes to our 7 defensemen and penalty-killing forwards for their intensity and good play throughout this stretch. Cole Rorick, Blake Donnellan, and Griffin Mariani really stepped up along with our defensemen. Finally, when we got back to even-strength play Griffin Cepiel would score the eventual game-winner when a loose puck found its way to where he was positioned, and he fired a puck past the Eagle Brook goalie. The score at the end of two was 1-0 in favor of Deerfield.
The third period was an up and down affair with both teams creating offensive chances but neither capitalizing on their opportunities. With time running out, Eagle Brook pulled their goalie and was playing at a 6-5 advantage. Brooks Simonds would score his first goal on the season when he fired the puck out of the zone and into the unguarded Eagle Brook net. This secured the 2-0 win for the visitors.
Next up, the team will travel to Choate on Saturday for a 1:00 tilt against their rivals.